How to pay a compliment
Preparation
Before you watch
Do this vocabulary task before you watch.
What do you think is going to happen in the video?
Watch
Watch the video
Watch the video and find out if your predictions from the Preparation task are correct?
If you need help you can click on Read transcript below and read along while you watch the video.
Task
Put the topics of the conversation in the order you hear them.
Transcript
Man: Good morning!
Woman: Morning!
Man: By the way, I just wanted to say well done on clinching that deal!
Woman: Oh, thanks. It wasn’t too difficult.
Man: You’re being modest! You did really well.
Woman: Thank you.
Man: You’re a great manager, you know.
Woman: Do you think so?
Man: Oh yeah.
Woman: I appreciate that.
(pause)
Man: Have you cut your hair?
Woman: Oh yes, I did actually. Thanks for noticing!
Man: Where did you get it done?
Woman: Oh, just that place on the high street.
Man: They did a great job and it looks great with the outfit.
Woman: Do you think so?
Man: Oh yeah. Very … fashionable.
Woman: Oh, it’s just an old thing.
Man: Well, you’ve got a great sense of style.
Woman: Thank you, you too.
Man: Thank you.
(pause)
Man: Nice perfume, too. Is that Dream?
Woman: Well, yes it is, actually.
Man: You wear it well.
Woman: I’m flattered.
Man: My pleasure.
Woman: Listen, do you want something?
Man: No. I’m just being polite, you know.
Woman: Hmmm.
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Comments
greetings..when i ask someone about his age...what should be the correct answer:iam 20 yearS old....or 20 year old????????
Hello mshaheed!
The correct answer is I'm 20 years old. We use “x year old” without the s when we use it as an adjective to describe a noun – as in “it's a ten year old car.”
Hope that helps!
Jeremy Bee
The Learn English Team
why am i neglected dear admin????
haha.. this video is awesome.. ;)
In my opinion, is not very hard paying someone a compliment. However, I'm not trying to flatter someone just to be complimented back or to be polite.
As the video show, acting like the guy (being too much polite or nice) can sounds weird. The person can be suspicious and not believe your compliments. That's why when something really suits someone or if I'm impressed by a agreement, I would tell it without hesitation and in a way to the person feels it sincere.
To consider receiving a compliment, it's more difficult for me, probably because of a lack of confidence. But I'm working on a lot, and so, I'm just answering "thanks" with a smile if someone compliment me. Sometimes, I use irony like "what do you want from me ?" or "I don't have anything for you, you know?" but just with my close friends.
By the way, this video activity was very useful. But I'm wondering if I will remember things like "to clinch". I have to probably back again on this page in couple days.
nice to read your comments friend,
thanks
hey dear learn English Team
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Hello everybody! My name is Kheda. I'm new on this website. And I hope that this site will help me to improve my English knowledges. ;)
I have been trying to learn english for months. I thought that how can I remember meanings of all words so i began to learn all oxford dictionary 's words and then I had learnt thousands of word and I completed all these characters meaning - J-Q-V-X-Y-Z.but now i am confused that i want to do job in international call center so please advise me.